Sisters and Princesses of Thebes are the identities of Antigone and Ismene in the play "Antigone."

Specifically, the sisters are the daughters of King Oedipus and Queen Jocasta. But unbeknownst to the royal family, the monarchs are actually mother and son. Knowledge of that unintended incest results in Jocasta's suicide and in Oedipus' blinding and exile.

Despite the scandal, Antigone manages to become engaged to Haemon, her cousin and the son of Theban King Creon. Creon is Antigone's uncle and Jocasta's brother. During Antigone's childhood, Creon jointly rules Thebes with his sister and brother-in-law.

With the scandal and Oedipus' overthrow, Antigone's twin brothers, Eteocles and Polyneices, inherit the throne of Thebes. But they end up fighting over their joint power-sharing arrangement. They kill each other, and as a result Creon is back on the throne.

As king, Creon allows Eteocles to be buried. He refuses to respect the same god-given rights to Polyneices. Anyone who tries to bury Polyneices according to the will of the gods and in accordance with Theban tradition will be killed.

Antigone is sentenced to death once she is discovered burying Polyneices. Her act puts additional stress on her already tense interaction with her sister Ismene. It also ends her engagement to Haemon and all chance for marriage and children.

The play gives no indication as to what happens to Ismene. But outside the confines of the play, and according to tradition, Ismene is killed by Tydeus. Ironically, Tydeus is the husband of Deipyle, Argive Princess and sister of Argea, wife of Ismene's brother Polyneices.

As is the case with Antigone, Ismene dies unmarried and childless. If she had lived, she may have been able to marry the love of her life, Theoclymenus. But as is the case with Antigone's love Haemon, Theoclymenus dies a violent death. But unlike Haemon, death comes not by his own hands, but by Tydeus' also.